MPs give backing to Bill on women bishops
Date: Mar 24

MPs backed women bishops this week in a controversial Bill pressing the Church to remove the bar on the consecration of women. Labour MP Andy Reed described as ‘spurious’ the theological arguments against women’s ministry. He said the fact that women can be archdeacons and deans but not bishops was “simply wrong”.

“How can the Church preach equality when it institutionalises discrimination,” he declared. He admitted that he while was in favour of disestablishment, Parliament had a right at the current time to make its views known to the Church of England. “We should be able to express our support for the role of women in every field of British life – to express our view, in the broadest terms, that women and men are equal, albeit different.” He said women priests believe that the Church is dragging its heels and listening to ‘ultra-conservatives’ rather than its mainstream. “That certainly smacks of the ultra conservative tail wagging the mainstream dog,” he added.
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